Travellers at Auckland Airport will be greeted and farewelled in te reo Māori as the country celebrates Matariki on Friday.
PA announcements read by children throughout both terminals will also educate travellers on the significance of Matariki.
"The first thing travellers will hear when they land on Kiwi soil and disembark the plane, will be te reo Māori, and meaningful messages of Matariki, over our PA system, voiced by two school children and Auckland Airport team members who speak te reo Māori," chief executive Carrie Hurihanganui said.
"Matariki is an important time for many of our Auckland Airport employees and we want to share this with our travellers."
Hurihanganui said two of the airport's employees put their hands up to be involved — duty operations manager Gabriel Thompson and deputy crew chief operations Mataio Masina.
The pair were joined by 15-year-old Manurewa High School student Psalm-Aawhina Mahanga and 7-year-old Ormiston Junior School pupil Marlowe Aira Reid. Reid's koroua (grandfather) Te Whainoa Te Wiata also took part.
"These PA recordings have the opportunity to be something we can come back to and refresh time and time again, as a way to mark special occasions.
"Our team members were proud to be a part of this and we look forward to seeing reactions from travellers as they come through the terminals," Hurihanganui said.
Matariki is a time of reflection, celebration and preparation, Mātāmua tells Breakfast’s Jenny-May Clarkson. (Source: Breakfast)
One of the PA announcements greeting travellers at international arrivals will say:
"Nau mai ki Aotearoa, tau mai ki Tāmaki Makaurau. Tākina rā ko Pūanga e tōia nei a Matariki ki te pae. Mānawatia te wā, mānawatia te ātea, mānawatia ngā tohu o te tau hou Māori. Tukua tō manawa kia ngā i te mauri o Matariki. Tukua tō ngākau kia pīpiri atu ki te mahana o tō ahi kā. Tukua tō ate kia ngiha anō a mahara. Tukua ngā hara ki tua, kia wātea ai tō ātea ki mua. Mānawatia a Matariki.
"Welcome to Auckland, New Zealand. Today, we celebrate the rising of Matariki, the star cluster. For many Māori, it heralds the start of the New Year. As you step into Tāmaki Makaurau, immerse yourself in the magic of Matariki. For many, Matariki is a time to rest, to reconnect with loved ones and reminisce about past times, to realign with the present and reset for the future. We wish you a bountiful year ahead. Mānawatia a Matariki."
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